An Account of the Customs and Manners of the Micmakis and Maricheets Savage Nations, Now Dependent on the Government of Cape-Breton eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 85 pages of information about An Account of the Customs and Manners of the Micmakis and Maricheets Savage Nations, Now Dependent on the Government of Cape-Breton.

The account of Acadia (Nova-Scotia) will, it is to
be hoped, appear not uncurious; allowance being made
for its being only in form of a letter.

A

Letter, &c.

Micmaki-Country, March 27, 1755.

SIR,

I should long before now have satisfied you in those
points of curiosity you expressed, concerning the
savages amongst whom I have so long resided, if I
could have found leisure for it. Literally true
it is, that I have no spare time here, unless just
in the evening, and that not always. This was
my case too in Louisbourg; and I do not doubt but you
will be surprised at learning, that I enjoy as little
rest here as there.

Had you done me, Sir, the honor of passing with me
but three days only, you would soon have seen what
sort of a nation it is that I have to deal with.
I am obliged to hold frequent and long parleys with
them, and, at every occasion, to heap upon them the
most fair and flattering promises. I must incessantly
excite them to the practice of acts of religion, and
labor to render them tractable, sociable, and loyal
to the king (of France). But especially, I apply
myself to make them live in good understanding with
the French.

With all this, I affect a grave and serious air, that
awes and imposes upon them. I even take care
of observing measure and cadence in the delivery of
my words, and to make choice of those expressions the
properest to strike their attention, and to hinder
what I say from falling to the ground. If I cannot
boast that my harangues have all the fruit and success
that I could wish, they are not however wholly without
effect. As nothing inchants those people more
than a style of metaphors and allegories, in which
even their common conversation abounds, I adapt myself
to their taste, and never please them better than when
I give what I say this turn, speaking to them in their
own language. I borrow the most lively images
from those objects of nature, with which they are
so well acquainted; and am rather more regular than
even themselves, in the arrangement of my phrases.
I affect, above all, to rhime as they do, especially
at each member of a period. This contributes to
give them so great an idea of me, that they imagine
this gift of speaking is rather an inspiration, than
an acquisition by study and meditation. In truth,
I may venture to say, without presumption, that I
talk the Micmaki language as fluently, and
as elegantly, as the best of their women, who most
excel in this point.

Another of my occupations is to engage and spur them
on to the making a copious chace, when the hunting-season
comes in, that their debts to the dealers with them
may be paid, their wives and children cloathed, and
their credit supported.